Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka, inaugurated UNDP’s mobile interactive exhibition, ‘A Journey of Transformation and Women’s Empowerment,’ in Nuwara Eliya on Thursday afternoon. The exhibition was open to the public at the Nuwara Eliya Public Library Hall and ran from Thursday to Saturday. Alongside the exhibition, social dialogues with plantation representatives in partnership with the private sector, and CSO representatives, also took place, serving as a platform to encourage conversation through the transformative champions and survivors featured in the exhibition.

Sri Lanka’s first Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), recently published by the UNDP in Sri Lanka and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), outlines that 55.7% of Sri Lankans are multidimensionally vulnerable, with 44.2% in the Nuwara Eliya district. The statistics unveil the realities faced by families, urging for sustainable solutions that ensure no one is left behind.

The mobile interactive exhibition, made its 6th stop in Nuwara Eliya last week, continuing its successful journey across the island, which started in Kandy, and has been open to the public in Kurunegala, Jaffna, Colombo, and Galle. This is made possible through the generous support of the Government of Canada and the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

Supported by UNDP Sri Lanka’s efforts over the years, alongside multiple partners, the exhibition aims to address barriers to gender equality and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). These inspiring tales of change include women’s roles in ensuring food security, adapting to climate change, leading community actions, pioneering work in the justice sector, women local government champions and sustaining livelihoods in Sri Lanka across many projects.

The exhibition invited the public to participate in discussions, share their stories, and contribute ideas for transformation and women’s empowerment.